Lens-shaping machine.



. A. OSSART J. E. GERMAIN & G

Patented Jan. 25, 1910.

E n 7 Z P a u 9 mm: 5 a IIE h h I u 0 J. E. GERMAIN & G. A. OSSABT. LENS SHAPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.18, 1907.

Patented Jan. 25, 1910.

mkzm J. E. GERMAIN & e. A. OSSARL LENS SHAPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 18, 1907.

Patented Jan. 25, 1910 uni-TED srrATEs rxrnn'r ornron.

OBS TO JULES ALPHONSE cums EU ENE GERMAIN AND oneness Ansinvn ossnm', or RUEIL, Eamon, assren.

' eUsrAvn noussnzr, or vrncrmnns, FRANCE.

.LENS-SHAPING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan, 25, 1910,

Original application filed March s, 1907, SeriaiNo. 361,403. Divided and this application filed December 18, 1907. Serial No. 406,995.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that we, JuLns EUGENE GER- MAIN and Gnoncns ARsiiNn ()ssAn'r, cltlzens of the Republic of France, residing at Rueil,

in said Republic, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lens-Shaping Machines, of which the following is a specification. I

- This invention relates to machines for shaping lenses, and particularly lenses of the type described in our application for Letters Patent Serial No. 361,403, filed March 8, 1907, of which this is a divisional application. In the application referred to thereis described an improved lens in which the meridian curvesof both the admission and discharge surfaces are non-spherical and generated geometrically in the form of conchoids.

The object of this invention is to provide a machine by which lenses ofthis character may be accurately shaped, polished and finished. l V

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side-elevation of a machine constructed according to the invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged front-elevation of a part of the machine, vFig. 3 is a detail section through the connection between the sliding bar on which the tool is mounted and its slide, Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the sliding bar ditlerently connected, Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing the manner in which the grinding tool is mounted, and Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of a modified arrangement of the means for mounting and driving-the tool.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures.

Broadly speaking, the machine comprises a tool p," which will be described in detail later on,.mounted by means of a movable shaft 10 at the end of a sliding and oscillating rod or bar 9 which is capable of sliding 011 and turning'around afixed point while the extremity of the bar opposite to the tool describes either a straight-hue or a curve of any kind. Under these conditions the tool describes a conchoidal curve, the nature of which depends upon the position of the fixed point and upon the nature of the movement of the end of the rod opposite the tool. The

movement of the tool takes place while the piece of glass to be shaped rotates around an axis which is located and remains during the entire treatment of the lens in line with the symmetrical axis of the curve described by the tool.

The machine comprises a vertical stand: ard 1" fixed by any appropriate means to a bracket or to a foundation-plate. On this standard 1' there is mounted a horizontal slideway which is either cut in the standard itself or constituted by two beveled bars 8 8. I

- the continuous movement of rotation of the disk 4) is converted into a reciprocating movement of the bar t. The amplitude of the reciprocating movement of the bar t depends upon the stud n on the disk o. In order to facilitate the displacement of this stud, it is engaged in a slot 4) arranged along a diameter of the disk o, and the stud may be fixed at any suitable part of this slot.

The bar t is formed with a slot 15" (Figs 2 and 3) in which a pivot a: terminating in a tapered point on is able to move (-Fig. 3) this pivot may be fixed at any suitable part of the slot formed in the bar If by means of position occupied by the a nut y and counter-nut y; the enlarged part of the pivot 00 is screw-threaded for this purpose. The bar g, which, as above stated, carries the tool 2) at its upperpart, is arranged parallel with the standard 1*. This bar is formed with a slot g for the greater portion of its length. Through this slot there passes (Fig. 3) a socket l u on which there arefixed two cheeks 2 an v3 which are arranged on either side of the bar. A rod 4 in one of the extremities of which a cup is formed for the reception of the t.

pered point w of the pivotfaz, is screwed into the socket [1. By turning the check 2 right home the bar may be rendered solid with the two cheeks 2 and 3;'by screwing in the rod 4 tea greater or less extent, the position of the cup may be regulated, the nut serving to maintain the position given to the rod.

Onto the enlarged portion a: of the pivot there is screwed a. cap 6, made in two parts to facilitate mounting. and of which the bottom constitutes to a certain extent a cup for balls against which the reinforced ortion 1 of the socket 1 rests. The ad ustmentof the ball cup is eifected by screwing the cap 6 onto the enlarged portion to of the pivot to a greater or less extent; displacement of this cap may be prevented by a locknut. It will be understood that with this method of mounting it is possible: (1') to regulate the position of the pivot on the bar t movable in the slot .9 s; (2) to render the socket l and its cheeks 2 and 3 solid with the bar g, which consequently is able to turn about the point w of the pivot w, while at the same time participating in the rectilinear displacements of this pivot solid with the bar t movable in the slot 8 s. It will be seen that under these conditions, if a reciprocating movement be imparted to the bar' it, the lower extremity of the-bar. q will be given this same reciprocating movement. During this displacement, as above stated, the bar 9 will'turn about the fixed point while at the same .time sliding over it. This fixed point is constituted by the pivot 7 Fig. 1. This pivot is arranged like the pivot m, but the mounting of the cheeks 8 and 9 arranged on either side of the bar 2 is such that these cheeks cannot press against the bar so that this latter, while turning about the fixed pivot-7, is also able to move along this pivot. The pivot 7 is mounted by means of abolt 7 in a slot 8 formed in the standard 1 ofthe machine.

The upper part of the bar q ends in an arm 9 bent at right angles. As hereinafter explained, this arm q serves to support the shaft 10 (Fig. 5) which carries at its lower part the tool p. This shaft 10 is given a continuous movement of rotation by means of a helicoidal gear 11 meshing with a tan- 'ential screw mounted on a rod 12 actuated by a flexible shaft. The tool turns about itself in a continuous manner; it is in con tact with the lens 13 to be worked and which is mounted in an-appropriate support 14, which under the influence of a vertical shaft 15 likewise rotates in a continuous manner,

but in the opposite direction. to the tool. The axis of the shaft 15, which is the axis of rotation, during the whole period of the operation remains in a plane parallel with the plane of the bar q and in line with the shaft 10 of the tool p; by adjustment it is also caused to coincide with the symmetrical axis of the curve described by the tool.

The cup 14 being furnished with a lens to be shaped, the respective positions of the tool and of the lens having been regulated in the manner hereinafter appearing, and the lower extremity of the bar 9 having been mounted upon the pivot m fixed at an appropriate point on the bar If, the lens is finished by starting the machine, that is to say, by giving a continuous movement of rotation to the disk v, likewise by transmitting a movement of continuous rotation to the shaft 10 of the tool 79, but in the opposite direction. and finally by giving a movement of continuous rotation to the lens-holder 14 also. In these conditions, the tool ;0 will describe, in a plane parallel with the standard r and with the bar a.curv'e, the form ofwhich will depend upon the amplitude of the displacements of the lower extremity of the bar upon the position of the oscillation shaft. or pivot 7 of the said bar q and upon the distance of the tool from the pivot 7. This curve will be, a meridian curve which will generate the surface of the lens to be shaped owing to the movement of rotation of the lens around a vertical axis situated exactly in line with the tool-holder located in a plane parallel with the bar 9 and coinciding with the symmetrical axis of the curve described by the tool.

As stated above, the lower extremity of the bar instead of being given a reciprocating movement, might be given an alternating rocking movement around an axis. In order to obtain this other displacement at the lower extremity of the bar, a plate 16 is provided in the machine; as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, this plate 16 carries a slideway 17, similar to the slideway It already described. In this shdeway there may be fixed a pivot a terminating in a point no, and by means of the same parts as those represented in Fi 3 the bar may be caused to follow the displacements iven to the pivot on while at the same time icing capable of turning around the tapered point of'this pivot. It will of course be understood that under these conditions connection between the bar (I and the bar I will no longer be effected. The bar 9 being mounted upon the pivot m of the plate 16. an alternating movement of rotation is transmitted to this plate 16, which communicates this same movement to the pivot w and consequently to the bar In this case the tool describes a curve as before. but a curve of a different nature, and, as in the case of transmission by the bar it, the position of the pivot .r upon the plate 16 may be regulated in the same manner as the position of the pivot .r upon the bar at was regulated; it is only necessary to loosen the nuts y and y to alter the position of the pivot .21 in the slideway 17 at will.

The tool is regulated relatively to the lens to be shaped in the following manner (Fig. 5) The rod or shaft 10, which is terminated by the tool 7), passes through the sleeve 18 mounted in a socket 19 supported by the arm y. threaded at its upper part, and at 18' carries a groove in which the extremity of a The sleeve 18 is externally screwfixed a able over the graduation of the nut 22, ;is

displaced until it comes opposite the zero' screw 20 is engaged for the purpose of preventing the. sleeve 13 from turning, while. at the same time permitting it to move upward and downward vertically. The rod 10 is provided with shoulders 21 which {it against the sleeve 18: on the outer upper screwthreaded portion of this sleeve an internally serewthreaded and externally graduated nut or nurl '22 is mounted; by means of the rotation which maybe given to this screw -threaded nut it is possible to cause '5 the sleeve 18, and consequently the shaft 10 of the tool p, to ascend or descend. The helieoidal gear does not oppose vertical displacements of the shaft 10 mving to the key 23, which is the only means of fixing the rod 10 and drivin it by the helieoidal gear 11. This helicoidaI 21 which is fixed at 25 on the arm g.

The cup 14., which supports the lens 13, may likewise be given upward anddownward vertical movements by means of an internally screw-threaded nut 26.. This nut,

which is screwed upon a screw '27, is solid with asleeve 28 which supports the cup 14.

Upon the bar 9 there is mounted a part which may be. termed a testing or gaging device; it consists broadly of a slide 29 movable. along the bar q, and which may be fixed in any appropriate position by means of a screw 30. Upon this slideway there is mounted a hinge 31 around which a rod .32, bent at 33 and ending in a point, is able to turn. This rod 32 is jointed at 34: in a plane perpendicular to that of the hinge 31. It is subjected to the action of a counterweight 35 and carries an index 36 able to move over a graduated dial3'7.

In order to regulate the treatment of the lens, the following method is adopted: The pivotof oscillation of the bar 9 having been fixed at the appropriate place, and the attachment of the bar to the plate 16 or to the bar it as the case may be having likewise been lected division of the bar q; it will of-course be understood that at this moment the lens 13 is depressed, that is to. say, the cup 14 has been lowered by means of the screwthreaded nut 26; The screw-threaded nut 22 is then acted upon in such a manner as to lower the tool 7) until it rests upon the point 33, and the exact position of the tool p is regulated in such a manner that the index 36 of the rod 32 is exactly opposite the zero of the scale marked upon the graduated sector 37 Atthis moment it is certain that the plane face of the tool is situated precisely at the desired distance from the center of the gear is supported by a bridge I 1 an indefinite amount by turning the nutof this graduation. When this has been done, the point 33 is separated from the tool by causing the testing or gaging device to rock around the hinge 31 and the lens 13 is raised by acting upon the screw-threaded nut 26 until the summit of the lens comes into contact with the tool. The tool is raised by 22; then the bar g is dis laced by hand, being caused to rock aroum the pivot 7 in such a manner as to bring thetool p to the right or left extremit of the meridlan curve that it describes. the left-hand extremity, for example, of the meridian curve that it is describing, the bar is stopped, and by acting upon the screwthreaded nut 22, the tool 7) is lowered until it comes into contact with the edge of the lens to be shaped. The machine is then ready for action. The disk '0, the shaft 12 and the shaft 15 are started; the tool p continues to describe the same curve successively While it is turning on itself, as does also the lens13, and this lens is Worn down gradually; In proportion as the lens is worn pivot 7 The index 39, which is movp en the tool has thus reached down, the height of the tool 22 is adjusted by acting upon the nut 22 in such a manner as to lower this tool 39 constantly, and notification isafforded when the operation is terminated when by the successive actions upon the nut 22 the index 39 comes opposite the zero of the scale marked on the periphery of this nut.

It will be understood that during the operationthe grinding materials, such as emery and the like, generally employed in grinding lenses are caused to fall onto the face of the lens under treatment by any appropriate means.

The polishing and finishing of the lenses is effected on the same machine merely by changing the tools for tools of a different character.

The foregoing description, as will be apparent, relates to the shaping of lenses having a convex surface.

In the case of concave lenses the arrangement is modified in the following manner: The machine is identical with that which has just been described except that it is turned through 180 in the vertical plane and that all the parts are arranged above the lens-holder instead of being beneath it. The head of this machine is arranged as shown in Fig. 6; the tool p is then vertical; it is able to ascend and descend as before in the socket 19 supported by the arm g solid with the bar 9, for the purpose of adjustment; the rotation of the tool 3) is obtained by means of a flexible shaft 12 and a transmissionguide 12. Instead of employing tools for cutting the lenses of the form of those preupright bar having tated, of a bar viously described, their shaping surface may be spherical convex or concave. Under the influence of the movement imparted to them by the machine and of the wear, this shaping surface assumes, at the same time as the lens, the final form that it is desired to obtain. The diameter of the shaping surface may be one-third of the diameter of the lens to be shaped. In this manner, instead of shaping the lens along a line, it is shaped, by grinding it, alonga surface. Although it appears to be preferable to maintain the axis of the lens-holder shafts in a vertical plane, they may be arranged in horizontal planes by making the machine itself horizontal.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a lens-shaping machine, the combination of a bar-mounted to turn about a fixed point and to slide longitudinally with respect' to said point, a tool carried by the bar atone end, and mechanism at the opposite end of the bar positively constraining said opposite end to move in a predetermined path.

2. In a machine for shaping lenses, the combination of a support, a substantially v a slot, a device on said support projecting through said slot and on which sald bar is mounted to slide and turn, a tool carried by the bar at its upper end, and means for reciprocating the lower end of the bar horizontally in a straight line.

3. In a machine for shaping lenses, the combination, with an upright support for the lens-and means'whereby it may be romounted-to turn ad slide in a vertical plane, a tool carried at the upper end of said bar and overhanging said support, means for rotating said tool, and means for actuating said bar.

4. In a lens-shaping machine, the combination of an upright support, a bar arranged in an upright plane and havin a slot therein, a device projecting laterailly from said support through said slot and about which said bar is mounted to turn and slide, a slide to which one end of the bar is connected, means for operating said slide, a tool at the other end of the bar, means for rotating said tool, and a rotating holder for the lens.

I In a machine for shaping lenses, the combiimtion, \viththe sliding and turning bar, of a tool mounted thereon and having a rotary shaft, and means for rotating said shaft.

6. In a machine for shaping lenses, the combination, with a rotating lens-support, of a sliding and turning bar, a tool mounted on said bar, and means to adjust the tool toward and away from said support.

7. In a machine for shaping lenses, the combination, with a sliding and turning bar, of a tool mounted thereon and adjustable longitudinally with respect to the same.

8. In a lens-shaping machine, the combination, with a sliding and turnin bar and a tool mounted thereon and adjnsta le longitudinally with respect to the same, of a gage slidable longitudinally of said bar and adapted to move into and out of contact with said tool to indicate the position thereof.

In testimony, that we claim the foregoing as our invention, we have signed our names in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JULES EUGENE GER-MAIN. GEORGES ARSENE OSSART.

\Vitnesses EMILE LEDRET, DEAN B. MAsoN. 

